Vehicle armrests are comfort features which appeal to many purchasers of vehicles. Given the vast range of anthropometric parameters which must be accommodated by a vehicle passenger compartment, it is desirable to have features which are adjustable to satisfy customers of different sizes. Accordingly, adjustable steering wheels, seats, mirrors, etc., have been developed to satisfy the needs of customers of various sizes. Additionally, various attempts have been made to provide adjustable vehicle armrests to accommodate such varying customer demands.
A major problem with prior art adjustable armrest designs is cost and complexity of manufacture. Generally, prior art adjustable armrests comprise complicated designs or require the use of expensive electric motors to actuate adjustment of the armrests. Some sample adjustable armrests are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,244,623; 4,619,478; 4,674,790 and 4,984,847. These designs are generally complex or expensive to manufacture. The '478 and '847 patents include expensive electric motors for actuation. The '623 and '790 patents require the user to physically adjust the armrest by hand without assistance of the assembly. This manual adjustment can be cumbersome due to the substantial weight and size of the armrest assembly.
To overcome the disadvantages experienced in prior art designs, it is desirable to develop an adjustable height armrest which is self-actuated and does not require an expensive motor or a complex linkage arrangement. It is further desirable to develop an adjustable height armrest in which the armrest itself is pivotable to an upright vertical position in order to allow access to storage areas beneath the armrest.